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Lionel
School 1937-97
Lionel School celebrated its 60th anniversary
in 1997. This event formed the main exhibition at the Comunn
Eachdraidh's Heritage Centre that year. The summer
exhibition featured documents, old school books, class photographs,
artefacts and other memorabilia that reflected many aspects of
education at that time. |
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Back
LtoR: 2nd Angus xxx South Dell (Aonghas Thomais); 6th John Murray,
36 Lionel (Iain a' Bhogha); John MacLean, 4 Lionel (Iain Riabhach);
John Morrison, 11 Fivepenny (Seonaidh Iain Buachail); Donald
Campbell, 5 Lionel (an Irish); John MacLeod, Port (Iain Mhurdo) |
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| New
School At Lionel Opened
The new school at Lionel, which sets
a standard for school buildings in Lewis, was formally opened on
Wednesday of last week by Mr J.W. Peck, secretary of the Scottish
Education Department. On the following day the pupils bade farewell
to the damp stained walls of the old depressing building, and took
their seats in bright and airy classrooms, freshly furnished from
floor to ceiling. The bright white walls and green windows of the
school, standing apart from the village on the Lionel machair,
strike a note of modernity, and in lay-out and equipment the
building compares favourably with any school of the size in the
North of Scotland. In addition to eight class-rooms there is a well
equipped gymnasium, a cookery department and a laboratory. Shelters
are provided in the playground for wet days; there are cycle sheds
for those who cycle to school, and the boys have their football
pitch. |
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The
Opening Ceremony
At the opening ceremony on
Wednesday, a gathering representative of the school, the district,
the Education Committee, the Inspectorate, and the Scottish
Education Department assembled in the gymnasium, seated for the
occasion with the latest in steel furniture.
Rev. Dr Dow, chairman of the County
Education Committee, presided over the gathering, and among those
present were, Mr J.W. Peck, secretary of the Scottish Education
Department; Mr J. Macrae, M.A., chairman of the School Management
Committee; Mr A. Lang, H.M. Chief Inspector of Schools for the
Highland Division; Dr. A. Barrie Grieve, H.M.I.S.; Mr Angus L.
Macdonald, H.M.I.S.; Rev. Norman Campbell, Dingwall; Provost Smith,
County vice-convenor; Councillors Murdo Macleod, Eoropie; Rev. R.
Mackenzie, Back; Angus Smith, Holm; Mrs J.M. Fraser; Mrs Macleod,
Ardabhaig; J.S. Maclean; D. Gunn; J. Mackay, Aird; M. Macdonald,
Ness; Messrs. Donald Mackay, M.A., headmaster, Lionel P. School;
John Macsween, M.A., Headmaster, Aird P. School; M. Macleod,
Headmaster, Knockiandue P. School; Mr H. Matheson, architect and Mr
Donald Mackay, clerk to the School Management Committee. Mr Malcolm
K. Macmillan, M.P., was also present.
The proceedings were opened with
prayer by Rev. Norman Campbell, Dingwall, and thereafter Dr Dow
briefly introduced Mr Peck as secretary, and head of the Scottish
Education Department, calling upon him to declare the school open. |
| "Education
Chief Blown Into the Minch"
Mr Peck remarked that Lionel was the
first new school built in Lewis by the County Authority, but it was
merely the latest of a long series of useful school improvements
undertaken since 1918, on which he congratulated the County.
His reward for a long journey - he
had travelled steadily by land for three hundred miles, and somewhat
less steadily by sea for seventy - was to meet the Councillors face
to face, instead of being merely "their obedient servant",
in letters and on circulars, and to find himself standing on the tip
of the Butt of Lewis, with America almost in sight to the West, and
the North Pole just over his shoulder.
Referring humorously to the
vicissitudes of the new school, which was blown down in January of
last year by a Hebridean gale of unusual violence, Mr Peck remarked
that he hoped nothing would happen which would make really startling
publicity for their opening ceremony. "Education chief blown
into the Minch" did not appeal to him as a headline.
Mr Peck reminded the gathering that
although the new building cost £12,000 and the County had other
building schemes in hand at Dingwall, Stornoway and Tain, the
Department had a kind heart and provided over three-quarters of the
Education Committee's expenditure every year. |
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A
Former Ceremony Recalled
Dr Dow then called upon Provost
Smith to move a vote of thanks to Mr Peck for what he described as a
most instructive oration. Mr Peck's history was such that they
should feel very grateful to him for travelling so great a distance
to be present, said Provost Smith, who went on to give the audience
some very interesting and appropriate quotations from the address of
Sir James Matheson at a similar function in the Ness district nearly
seventy years ago.
The occasion of Sir James's address
was the opening of a new school erected by him in Lionel in 1869.
That school did not exist today, Provost Smith remarked; it was not
the old Lionel school which was erected by the School Board after
the passing of the Education Act in 1871 or 1872. Possibly some of
the Ness people, he said, might have some idea whether the old
building had been completely demolished or not.
Addressing himself to the pupils on
that occasion Sir James complimented them on having pursued their
studies with remarkable success, notwithstanding the great
disadvantage of studying in an inferior schoolhouse, having
defective light and ventilation. |
| Contractors
Thanked
In the unavoidable absence of Mr
C.W. Murray, Lochcarron, Councillor John Mackay, proposed a vote of
thanks to the architect, the clerk of works and the contractors.
He referred to the figure of £12,000
mentioned by Mr Peck as the cost of the School. Looking round the
building, Councillor Mackay said that they must feel satisfied that
they had got value for their money. It gave him great pride and
pleasure to be a member of the Committee concerned with the erection
of the building. He did not think that anywhere in the North of
Scotland there was a school building which surpassed it. He hoped
that the improvement of school buildings would not stop at Lionel,
and that the smaller schools would not be overlooked.
But whatever the County Council
wished to do, they had to rely on certain other people to carry out
the work, and it was his purpose to ask the gathering to accord a
vote of thanks to the people responsible. First of all to the
architects, then the clerk of works, and finally the various
contractors.
The architects were Messrs D.
Matheson & Son, Dingwall; the clerk of works, Mr D. Macritchie,
Stornoway; and the contractors, Messrs Samuel Morrison, Leverburgh,
mason work; Ross & Mackenzie, Stornoway, joiner work; John
Macleod, Stornoway, plumbing; Macswayde & Fraser, Dingwall,
slating; Burness, Montrose, plaster work; D. Macdonald, Stornoway,
painter work; Taylor & Fraser, heating installation; Briggs
& Co., Dundee, asphalt work. |
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Well
Tested
Mr H. Matheson, architect, thanked
Councillor Mackay for his kind remarks. Mr Matheson also took the
opportunity of thanking the clerk of works and the contractors for
the harmonious spirit in which they had worked together despite the
sometimes very trying conditions, and also congratulated them on the
job they had turned out - a job which had been thoroughly tested in
the gales of last winter.
The proceedings closed with the
singing by the pupils of some Gaelic songs, under the conductorship
of Mr John Macdonald. Thereafter the visitors inspected the
buildings and partook of an enjoyable tea provided by the school
staff.
The Buildings Described
The new Lionel school is a
conspicuous landmark on the machair. The site is about three hundred
yards from the old school, and the new building has a frontage 275
feet long, with a southerly aspect. The main building is constructed
of brick, with large steel windows of modern design giving excellent
lighting and ventilation. The eight classrooms run along practically
the whole frontage of the building so that each of them has a
southerly view.
The classrooms are equipped
throughout with new furniture; each pupil in the higher classes
having an individual desk. The walls of the infant room are
decorated with a frieze representing the sea with the ships of all
nations. The other rooms are decorated with beautiful paintings,
some of them copies of well known masters.
In addition to the classrooms, the
main building also provides two staff-rooms and cloakroom and
lavatory accommodation for the children. A good supply of water is
assured by gravitation from a well some distance from the school,
and sewage is provided by means of a septic tank. The staff-rooms
and cloakrooms are at the ends of the main building, running back at
right angles from the classrooms. |
| A
Gymnasium
Behind the main building is another
imposing structure of brick piers and wooden framework, faced with
plaster. The roof of this building, which is much higher than the
main school building, is supported by Queen post trusses resting on
the brick piers, something after the fashion of a church roof. This
building contains a gymnasium (hence the high roof), a cookery room,
and a room for science and woodwork. Two dressing-rooms are provided
in connection with the gymnasium. Underneath this building is a
boiler-room, providing central heating for the whole school.
Along the back of the main building
is a well lighted corridor linking together all the classrooms with
the staff-rooms and cloak-rooms; a branch of this corridor connects
with the gymnasium and other special classrooms which are situated
behind the middle of the main building. In this way, the school
looks something like a capital "E" elongated, and with the
top and bottom small, and the middle leg much enlarged. The back of
the "E" then represents the main school, the top and
bottom, the two buildings containing cloakrooms and staff-rooms, and
the middle leg the gymnasium.
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Spacious
Playing Fields
The main entrances of the school are
of artificial stone, and all the main doors and corridor doors are
of the swinging type. The whole school, including gymnasium, etc. is
connected by covered corridors, as stated above.
Behind the school, spacious
playgrounds have been reserved for the boys and girls, and, in
addition (a most welcome addition too), there is a football field.
In each of the playgrounds there is a covered shelter with seats, so
that on wet days the children can still get the fresh air during
their intervals; and to these shelters are attached cycle sheds for
the use of those who cycle to school. |
Reminiscences of Lionel School
by
Calum Thomson, 14 Barony Square, Stornoway
There was a great
sense of excitement and expectancy in the air in the classrooms at
Lionel old school as the day of transfer to the new school drew
near. Everyone realised that, in going to the new school, a great
change would take place.
The old classrooms
had open fires and were often cold; the new school had central
heating with radiators in all the rooms, which made them very
comfortable. Where the old had poor lighting and no running water,
the new had been designed and built with south facing windows,
allowing the sun into the classrooms all day long. Also, there were
very up-to-date cloakrooms with water on tap at all wash-hand
basins. There was also a big gymnasium, a large football field,
large playgrounds and a domestic science room for the girls. Beside
the gymnasium there was a general science room and adjacent to it
was the boiler house which was attended to by the very popular
janitor, Roderick Smith from Eoropie.
On the day of the
transfer each class walked single file along with their teacher. We
all carried our slates, or books in the case of the senior classes.
My teacher was Miss Cumming (Mrs Smith) who lives in Kirkcare
Matheson Road. Her late husband, Mr Kenneth Smith, also taught in
the school. Mr Roderick Morrison also taught in the senior classes
and he married one of the teachers (Miss Maciver).
Mr Donald Mackay was
the headmaster but he left, and after a few years his place was
taken by Mr John Smith. The other teachers whose names I can
remember in the early years were Mr William Maclean, later the Free
Presbyterian minister in Ness, Miss Maciver from Uig, Miss Annie
Mackenzie from Tolsta, Miss Peggy Murray (Mrs Gillies) from Lionel,
Miss Mackenzie from Habost, Miss Johanna Morrison from Cross
Skigersta Road, Miss Bella Morrison (Mrs Finlayson) from Cross and
Miss Mary MacLeod from Brue.
The headmaster, Mr
Mackay, left after a few years, as I have already stated, but some
of us met him again in 1944 when a group of about 12 boys from the
Ness flight of the ATC were travelling from Lewis to Dalcross near
Inverness for a summer camp. Mr Mackay met the train at Dingwall
Station where he warmly shook hands with everyone of the Ness
contingent. We were accompanied by Mr Smith, the headmaster, who was
in charge of the ATC flight in Ness. He was also a good headmaster
and it was through his efforts that I became interested in
navigation.
To return to Mr
Mackay's time, I remember one day just before they left Ness, I was
on my way to school on the bike when, as I approached the
schoolhouse, I realised that I was going too fast and out of
control. Mrs Mackay was leaning out of an upstairs window and saw my
plight. She immediately shouted "Left hand break". I did
as she had instructed and I was saved from a serious accident.
When the Lionel
School was opened in 1937 it was way ahead of its time as it was
well equipped and provided all the facilities available and required
in that day. A school can be as good as the finished product and it
was to be severely tested before many years had passed. By 1937 the
black clouds of war were already looming over Europe. At that time
the boys and girls who were in class 6 and 7 would have been aged 14
or 15 years. In a short time of about three years, many of them
would have been called up for active service to defend their
country. This they bravely did and some suffered hardship
throughout. During the six years of hostilities they were tested and
proved in warfare; which clearly showed their gallantry in the face
of the enemy and also the diligence and mettle of those who worked
in the supporting services. This revealed the influence of their
upbringing in their total contribution throughout.
It was providential
that the school was built when it was, for two years later war was
declared and building materials became very scarce. The building
programme would have been delayed until at least 1946. At that time
building materials were of poor quality and very costly. The end
result would have been an inferior building today which would cost
vast sums of money for repairs as has been the situation with many
post-war schools. Instead, there is an excellent school in Lionel
today with a solid main building which has withstood the test of
time and the severest of northerly gales during the sixty years of
its existence. |
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EXTRACTS
FROM LIONEL SCHOOL LOG BOOKS
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1900
1
May
Scarletina
- Dr. states, "It is advisable to exclude children from fever
houses until the manure is taken out."
17
May
To
encourage regularity of attendance, children present all week are
allowed to write a short note to their fathers and take it home in a
proper envelope.
10
June
Nuisance
caused by those carting peat, yelling and shouting as they pass the
school. Written to police.
1
August
Bad
attendance - cattle coming from moor.
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1902
6
January
After
Free Presbyterian meeting, rooms 2, 3 and 4 were decorated with
pools of tobacco juice.
17
July
Bigger
boys come to school as they cannot do any other work in the wet
weather.
1
December
"Hurricane
abroad"
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1905
1
November
Habost
boys away at the fanks.
1908
25
December
Distribution
of toffee from James Gates, Paisley.
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1906
9
November
Stampede
of Habost boys to the fanks.
1911
8
April
Compulsory
(attendance) Officer and (name unclear), merchant attended School
Board in their official capacities as CO and member of committee and
as defaulting parents.
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1913
30
June
"Moor
Monday". No school.
1919
8
January
Low
attendance partly due to recent Iolaire disaster.
9
January
Acute
want of firewood.
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1915
16
July
Older
pupils off because child labour needed due to war.
1920
16
December
Illness
aggravated by lack of food and clothing.
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1922
2
May
Owing
to the fact that the entire district adheres to the old time, many
of the children come in the morning with little or no breakfast.
18
May
"Another
day reminiscent of the flood."
4
December
Parents
cannot clothe children, most barefoot in school.
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1923
1
October
Every
effort to secure dry peats has failed.
2
October
Attendance
poor owing to want of food and clothing and severe weather.
18
October
Attendance
miserable, lack of fire fuel.
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1924
24
January
1 ton of
coal delivered.
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1925
Jan.
27th
The
fact that homes have refused to adopt the Summer time causes much
absence.
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1928
HMI
report - Practice of fingering for the purpose of computation is
common. It should be suppressed.
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1929
20
August
CO
in hospital. Father went his rounds.
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1930
17
November
Hot
cup of cocoa for those who do not go home at the dinner hour.
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1932
27
October
Classes
photographed in the afternoon.
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1933
1
September
Singer
sewing machine received for needlework.
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1936
17
January
Severe
snow storm - new school building under construction collapsed.
22
June
Lantern
slides shown on matters of diet, cleanliness, etc.
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1937
24
June
Joan
MacLeod 1st in two Mod competitions.
8
September
New
school opened.
11
November
Portable
wireless bought from proceeds of social evening.
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1938
29
September
Mobilisation
of Naval reserve.
1940
2
April
Secondary
boys cultivate garden to grow vegetables for wartime food.
11
September
Blackout
material for evening classes.
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1941
Jan.
31st
First
inoculation for diphtheria.
19
August
Wood
and wire netting for windows as anti-blast protection.
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1945
19
June
Site
of proposed school canteen is selected.
1947
28
August
Pupils
from Airidhantuim, Galson and Cross enrol.
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1950
I
November
School
canteen opened.
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1953
22
October
Free
milk started.
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1955
10
June
X-ray unit
visits.
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Lionel
School – Class III - 1956
B.R. Murdo Macdonald, Ballantrushal; Donaidh a’ Chaillteanaich;
Zebo; Angus R Mackay, Borve. M.R.
Dòmhnall Aonghais a’ Chlodaidh, Shader; Foxy, Borve; Dolaidh
Jellicoe; Alex J Macdonald, Galson; John M Macdonald, Ballantrushal;
Panda; Nasser, Galson; Coinneach Donn; Tia, Ballantrushal; Tarmod
MacLeòid (Contair). F.R.
Aonghas Bàn an Uigich; Doileag Froig; Chrisetta Huisgean, Borve;
Catriona An Gilpean; Màiri Bulaics; Màiri Màrad Dh’ll An Gèir,
Borve; Katie Mary a’ Mhisein, Borve; Nancy Chèic; Anna Choimhead,
Mac a’ Chlows, Borve. |
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